NBA career

Rise to prominence

When Arenas entered the 2001 NBA Draft out of the University of Arizona, his dream was to be drafted by the New York Knicks, who had two picks in the first round. They had shown interest in him but they passed. With no position solidified and a shaky prospect at best, Arenas went the entire first round without being drafted.

After that season, he was one of the most sought-after free agents of the NBA. He signed with the Washington Wizards, reportedly after flipping a coin to decide among several teams, including the Wizards, Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers.[2] Arenas had a disappointing first season with the Wizards, battling a strained abdominal muscle injury all season. However, Arenas enjoyed great success in his second season in Washington. He teamed up with shooting guard Larry Hughes (22.0 points per game) in 2004–05 to give the Wizards the highest scoring backcourt duo in the NBA. Arenas was selected for his first NBA All-Star Game. He guided the team to a 45-win season and its first playoff berth since 1997. Arenas led the team in scoring with 25.5 ppg, and finished seventh in the league in that category. He also finished sixth in the league in steals per game in 2004–05 with 2.24 (Hughes led the league with 2.93 steals per game).

In the fifth game of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2005, Arenas hit a 16-foot fadeaway as time expired to give the Wizards a 112–110 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Wizards eventually won the series, the franchise's first playoff series victory in more than a decade.

Known for his fierce competitiveness and somewhat unusual behavior and style, Arenas quickly became a fan favorite in Washington. In 2006, Wizards fansite Wizznutzz.com jokingly dubbed him "Agent Zero," a nickname Arenas liked so much that it stuck.[3]

2005–06 season

Arenas had a career year during the 2005–06 season in which he averaged 29.3 points, which ranked fourth among the scoring leaders, two steals (also fourth), and 6.1 assists per game. Despite his accomplishments, neither fans nor coaches selected Arenas to the 2006 All-Star Game. He was able to get in due to the injury to Indiana Pacers forward–center Jermaine O'Neal. He also participated in the Three-point Shootout, where he was the runner-up to Dirk Nowitzki in the contest.

During the off-season, Arenas said that he was willing to take a pay cut in order to give the Wizards additional money with which to sign available free agents. He has expressed a desire to win a championship with the Wizards. One of Arenas' most memorable plays is a 40-foot jump shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Round 1 of the 2006 NBA playoffs.

2006–07 season

During the 2006–07 NBA season, Arenas established himself as a threat in close game situations. On January 3, 2007, Arenas hit a 32-foot buzzer-beater to win the game against the Milwaukee Bucks, 108–105.[4] Two weeks later on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day he hit yet another buzzer-beating three-pointer to beat the Utah Jazz, 114–111, in a thriller at the Verizon Center.[5] This same scenario has been added as a cut scene in the video game NBA Live 2008. He also hit a game-winning layup as time expired to beat the Seattle SuperSonics on March 21, 2007.[6]

In an overtime game versus the Los Angeles Lakers on December 17, 2006 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Arenas scored a career-high 60 points, adding 8 rebounds and 8 assists in helping lead the Wizards over the Lakers 147–141. Arenas now holds the Wizards' franchise record for most points scored in a game by an individual. The previous record was held by Earl Monroe with 56 points, achieved in 1968 which was also an overtime game against the Lakers. Arenas's 16 points in the extra period also set an NBA record for most points in one overtime period, surpassing Earl Boykins' record by one point.[7]

Arenas himself has noted that he withdrew from the United States national team for the 2006 FIBA World Championship because he felt that assistant coaches Mike D'Antoni and Nate McMillan had pre-determined the roster even prior to tryouts. Afterward, he stated that he planned on averaging 50 points against their respective teams (Phoenix Suns and Portland Trail Blazers). He succeeded at his goal versus powerhouse Phoenix, scoring 54 points, including 21-of-37 from the field, 6-of-12 three-pointers (while reportedly eyeing in the direction of Suns chairman Jerry Colangelo), in a high-scoring 144–139 Wizards win over the Suns.[8] However, on February 11 versus the Blazers, he was held to a lowly nine points, including tying the Wizards' franchise record for three-point futility, going 0-for-8 from behind the arc, in a 94–73 loss versus Portland.[9]

In February, 2007, during the final days of All-Star voting, Arenas was voted as a first-time starter for the 2007 NBA All-Star game for the Eastern Conference, edging out Vince Carter by a slight margin, with 1,454,166 votes to Carter's 1,451,156.[10] At the time he was averaging 29.7 points per game, second in the league.[10]

Towards the end of the season Arenas tore his MCL during a game against the Charlotte Bobcats when Gerald Wallace fell into his leg. The Wizards struggled to finish the season with Arenas and teammate Caron Butler both being injured. Washington earned a playoff berth, but was swept in the first round in a rematch with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

During the offseason, Arenas told The Washington Post that he would "opt out" of his contract after the 2007–08 season, making him a free agent. He stated, "...if something happens where they don't want me or they're going in a different direction, I can look elsewhere. But my intentions are not to leave."[11]

2007–08 season

Arenas had only played in 8 games this season due to a knee injury, before he started practicing again in March, and returned to action on April 2, 2008 against the Milwaukee Bucks,[12] scoring 17 points in a 110–109 home loss.[13]

Ten days prior, Arenas stormed out of the locker room before a game against the Detroit Pistons.[14] He had wanted to play, but his doctor did not give him clearance.[15] Arenas made a surprise return on April 9, when he came out of the locker room with 5:30 left in the first quarter. He finished the game scoring 13 points and dishing out 3 assists in helping the Wizards beat the Boston Celtics 109–95.[16] He came off the bench for the rest of the regular season as not to disrupt the chemistry the Wizards had built without him. Arenas got his wish when they matched up against the Cavaliers for the third straight year; however, it was apparent he was not 100% healthy. In games 1–3, he played limited minutes, citing soreness in his surgically repaired knee. A few minutes before game 4 of their first-round playoff appearance against the Cavaliers, Arenas announced he would sit out the rest of the playoffs.[12]

On June 9, 2008, Arenas officially opted out of the final year of his contract. Arenas also stated that he would consider re-signing with the Wizards if they were able to retain fellow free agent and teammate Antawn Jamison. The Wizards did indeed sign Jamison to a contract.[17][18] Arenas was offered a five-year contract worth more than $100 million by the Golden State Warriors and another max deal by the Wizards, a six-year deal worth $124 million.[19] On July 13, 2008, Arenas signed a contract worth $111 million over six years with the Wizards.[20]

2008–09 season

Due to the various injuries he had been getting since April 2007, Arenas did not play in any game at all for the Wizards until March 28, 2009, scoring 15 points and dishing 10 assists in a 98–96 loss to the Detroit Pistons.[21] He also played a second game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which both teams wore their respective throwback jerseys. Arenas dished out 10 assists and scored 10 points, and fans were excited to see Arenas, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler re-uniting for the first time in the season.

2009–10 season

Arenas opened the season on a hopeful note, scoring 29 points as the Wizards beat the Dallas Mavericks 102–91 in their season opener. However, Arenas' performance would be inconsistent in the weeks ahead; on November 11, he set a Wizards team record for turnovers in a game with 12.[22] On December 12, Arenas netted his first triple double in five and a half years in a loss to the Pacers.[23] Six days later Arenas had a season-best 45 points in a Wizards win over his former team, the Golden State Warriors.

On March 12, 2010, Arenas officially submitted paperwork to the NBA requesting a jersey number change from his well known #0 to #6.

Controversies

On December 24, 2009, it was revealed that Arenas had admitted to storing unloaded firearms in his locker at Verizon Center and had surrendered them to team security. In doing so, Arenas not only violated NBA rules against bringing firearms into an arena, but also violated D.C. ordinances as well.[24] On January 1, 2010, it was also reported that Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had unloaded guns in the Wizards' locker room during a Christmas Eve argument regarding gambling debts. The D.C. Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Attorney's office began investigating,[25] and on January 14, 2010, Arenas was charged with carrying a pistol without a license, a violation of Washington D.C.'s gun-control laws.[26] Arenas pleaded guilty on January 15 to the felony of carrying an unlicensed pistol outside a home or business. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 26.[27]

On January 6, 2010, (his 28th birthday) the NBA suspended Arenas indefinitely without pay until its investigation was complete. NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement that "his ongoing conduct has led me to conclude that he is not currently fit to take the court in an NBA game." By nearly all accounts, Stern felt compelled to act when Arenas' teammates surrounded him during pregame introductions prior to a game with the Philadelphia 76ers, and he pretended to shoot them with guns made from his fingers.[28] The Wizards issued a statement of their own condemning the players' pregame stunt as "unacceptable."[29] On January 27, 2010, Arenas and Crittenton were suspended for the rest of the season, after meeting with Stern. [30] On February 2, 2010, Arenas wrote an open editorial in the Washington Post, in which he apologized for his actions, particularly for failing to be a better role model to young fans and for "making light of a serious situation".[31]

Personal life

Arenas was born in Tampa, Florida and raised by his single father in Florida and California after his mother, a drug addict, left him as a child.[32] His paternal grandfather is originally from Cuba. His cousin is Javier Arenas, an all-star football player who is currently starting for the University of Alabama. Another cousin, Armando Murillo, is a cornerback at the University of Nebraska. On January 5, 2007, Arenas threw a million dollar 25th birthday party for himself which was dubbed "Arenas Express". The party, which was hosted by hip hop mogul P Diddy, was attended by many celebrities and drew national media attention.[33] Arenas is a friend of rapper The Game and was listed in the booklet for The Game's second album The Doctor's Advocate. He collects a synthetic basketball from each team played, as well as players' jerseys, of which he has more than 200, most of which are autographed.[34] Arenas is an avid Halo player—his Gamertag is Agent Arenas—and officially sponsors Team Final Boss, a professional Halo 3 team.[35][36][37][38] In 2007, Arenas was chosen as the front cover model for video game NBA Live 08 sporting his "good luck" Wizards alternative jersey. "This is a dream come true," he said. "I'm a huge gamer and have been playing NBA LIVE since 1995. I never imagined that I would see my face on the cover of an EA Sports videogame."[36]

Arenas donated $100 for every point he scored in each home game during the 2006–07 season to local D.C. area schools, while Wizards team owner Abe Pollin matched that contribution for each away game. He also mentors a D.C. boy who lost his family in a fire at age 10. Arenas takes him shopping, bowling, got him a job as a ball boy for the Wizards, and acts as a brotherly figure towards him.[39]

Arenas has had his own shoe, the Adidas Gil Zero, as well as his own line of Adidas TS Lightswitch shoes. Arenas wears size 14 1/2 shoes."[40]